Meter-pipe-supporting clamp



March 3, 1931. F. c. FREEMAN 1,795,019

METER PIPE SUPPORTING CLAMP Filed June 12, 1929 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 FREDERICK G. FREEMAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND f METER-PIPE-SUPPORTING CLAMP Application filed June 12, 1929. Serial No. 370,416.

This'invention relates to an improved construction of clamp device for supporting gas meter connections; and has for its object to provide a clamp device of this character which is simple and inexpensive in construction and efi'ective in its operation and may be readily Secured to the inlet and-outlet meter pipes regardless of whether or not these pipes be positioned either in or out of alignment with each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clampingcross barhaving a clamping portion at either end thereof to which may be bolted cooperating clamping members for gripping and binding the inlet and outlet pipes to rigidly connect them together and prevent them from being bent or torn from the meter by excessivestrains.

The invention further consists indisposing tie end clamping members of this clamping device in diflt'erent relative planes to permit of more readyadjustment to accommodate lneterpipes which are out of alignment with each other.

With these and other'objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction. as will be more fully described,

and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

p In the accompanying drawings: I

'Fig. 1 is 'a top view of a gas meter, showing my improved clamping device as secured to the meter inlet and'outlet pipes.

Fig. 2 illustrates this clamping device for supporting meter connections as applied to a so-called swiveling pipe connection at a point adjacent the meter.

Fig; 3 is a perspective view showing the cross bar with its clamping ends disposed in diiferent relative planes.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the U-shaped cooperating clamp members.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing my improved clamp bar with the base supporting rods attached thereto.

The ordinary gas meter is built of thin sheet metal such as tin and is provided with inlet and outlet tubings vertically disposed along its opposite sides and connected thereto by solder. At the upper ends of these tubes is connected a so-called swivel unit which includes the union and a short length of lead pipe and the outlet end is connected to thepiping'system thru which the user is supplied.

It is found in practice that no two gas meters of the samesize are alike, for the reason that a gage or templet cannot be used in mounting or attaching the gas inlet and outlet tubes to the sides of the tank or body portion of the meter, and therefore the distance between these inlet and outlet tubes is bound to vary and as result the pipes are often set out of alignment with each other. lVhen connection is being made to these misaligned pipes, excessive or rupturing strains are often brought to bear upon the meter connections; then again, when the is to be shut off from the main especially when the valve, which is located in the inlet pipe is stuck or frozen considerable force is required to move the valve, which force also has a tendency to strain the pipes and in some cases, where my supporting clamp is not used, the thin tubing becomes broken thus rendering these connections somewhat of a hazard.

To obviate this difficulty and prevent these strains from being transmitted to the meter itself and to firmly support these inlet and outlet pipe connections, I have provided a cross-bar member which is adapted to be rigidly clamped to both the inlet and outlet pipes, preferably to the so-called meter swivel portions or connections at a point adjacent the meter so as to prevent these pip-es from becoming ruptured at the point where connected to the meter. Also it is found of advantage to so construct such a clamping device that it may be readily applied to the inlet and outlet meter pipes even though these pipes are'out of alignment with each other, which is often the case and that with out disconnecting the meter from its set position or disturbing any of its pipe connections; and the following is a detailed descrip tion of the present embodiment of my invention and showing one arrangement of parts by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

porting clamp device,

lVith reference to the drawings, 10 designates the usual meter which is ordinarily constructed of thin metal such as tin and the like to the opposite sides of which are se cured by solder or otherwise the vertically disposed inlet pipe or tube 11 and the similarly disposed outlet pipe or tube 12. These pipes or tubes are also usually formed of thin metal such as tin and are soldered to the sides of the metercasing. I

At the upper end of these tubes is usually connected the threaded member 13 of the pipe union with its shank portion 1a extend-'- ing for a short distance into the upper end of each of spective fastening nuts 16 to the member 13- of the union, thereby forming what is known in the trade as a swivel and to these short lengths of pipes Ipreferably secure the suppresently described.

My improved connector device comprises essentially a cross shaped clamp head 18 at one end that rests against the inlet pipe 15 and has a clamp end portion 19 to lie against and extend beyond the outlet pipe 17. 'By this construction the T-head lies in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of the axis of the bar.

.end 19 01": the cross bar,

To this T-headI secure by means of bolts 21 a clamping yoke member 22. v v

As best shown in Figs. 3 and. 4 the T-head 18 is provided with transverse sl0ts'23 and the clamp yoke with vertically disposed slots 24 so that when the bolts21 are passed thru these slots this clamp yoke may beadjnsted either laterally or on an incline to accommodate the tubes or pipes, which are out of rel- ,ative vertical alignment. The same is-true the end 19 of the cross bar which 18 designed to extend beyond. and to lie against one side of the swivel pipe 17 and a cooperating clamp yoke 25 is provided to embrace the pipe17 and be secured to this end of the bar bymeans of bolts 26.

A duplicate of that clampyoke illustrated in Fig. 4i, which is designed to fit the T,- head yoke shown, may be applied to the this end 19 being provided with longitudinalslots 27 while the clamp yoke is provided with vertical slots 2 1, by whichconstruction itwill be seenthat V away from or the clamp on this cross bar may be adapted to engage and bind together inlet and outlet pipes which may be relatively inclined either toward each other, or which may be laterally oiiset out of alignment with each other and yet these clamp yokes' may be securely fastened in. position to grip and bind these pipes and support them in what:-

' be set without." the ever position they may the tubes 11 and 12. Resting upon this member of the unit is a short length bar 20 which has a T-' having an eye 30 therein thru which the hook ends 3101": the tie rods 32 pass, the lower ends of these tie rods being threaded and provided with nuts 33 to bind this cross bar '28 in position against the bottom of the cas- It will be notedthat my improved clamping device is a unit complete in itselt and may beapplied to any meter connection, however out of alignment they may be, to connect together and rigidly support the same against rupture from unusual or excessive strains.

The foregoingdescription is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but

I desire itto be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to' which the device is susceptible,

the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for connecting inlet and outlet meter pipes of a meter tank comprising a T'-shaped unitary bar adapted to have the head end clamped to one pipe with the other end of the bar extending beyond the second pipe, said other end having means to adjustably. and detachably clampsaid other end to said second pipe, whereby said pipes are held against relative movement during adjustment and use of the meter.

2..Means for connecting inlet and outlet meter pipes of a meter tank comprising a unitary bar having a head end at an angle tot-he remainder of the bar and adapted to necessity of breaking any of the connecting A joints and so securely tie" togetlre-r 

